In general, electrical connector devices in which paired electrical connectors fit in each other for electrical connection have been widely used among various electrical appliances. In these electrical connector devices, when the paired electrical connectors fit in each other, an electrode part (contact part) of a contact member fixed to a housing of one electrical connector makes contact with a contact member of the other electrical connector, thereby achieving electrical connection.
However, in the conventional electrical connectors, a fixing part of the contact member attached to the housing and the electrode part (contact part) as an electrical contact part are arranged so as to be aligned along a fit-in direction. Therefore, the entire contact member tends to be long in the fit-in direction, the size of the electrical connector device is increased accordingly, and demands in recent years for a decrease in size may not be able to be satisfied.
The inventor of the present application discloses Japanese Patent No. 3365549.
Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector and electrical connector device allowing an entire contact member to be shortened in a fit-in direction for a decrease in size.